I Ended My Date When She Showed Up 45 Minutes Late, Now I’m Second-Guessing My Decision

Navigating the complexities of dating can be like threading a needle in a dark room. Each decision is important, and it can be tough to determine the best course of action. In today’s story, being late was the final straw on a first date.

Here’s my story:

I had a first date planned with a woman I met through a dating website. We decided to meet for coffee at 2 p.m. I arrived on time. At 2:10 p.m., she texted me to see whether I was at the cafe. I answered yes, and she said she was at home but would leave shortly and be there in 20 minutes.

Basically, her text meant that she was waiting to make sure I was present before leaving the house. I was put off. I took the risk that she would not show up and arrived on time. She should have to. Am I wrong?

I drank my coffee and left at 2:30. She still wasn’t present. At 2:45, I received a text from her asking where I was. I replied, “I finished my coffee and left at 2:30 when you still weren’t there as promised.”

She wrote me a series of scathing texts telling me how terrible I was and how I had done everything wrong. I should have texted her to tell her I was leaving, etc.

Do women really expect men to sit and wait 45 minutes for them to arrive late — when the only reason they are late is to make you wait? It sure seemed like it was a game or test. Either way, she failed my tests. I’d sure like to hear from the women on this one.